Forensic Team Investigates Cause of Fire at Jakarta Revenue Agency Building

Forensic investigators from the Indonesian National Police's Center for Forensic Laboratories (Puslabfor Polri) have been deployed to determine the cause of a fire that erupted at the DKI Jakarta Regional Revenue Agency (Bapenda) building on Friday. The examination of the scene, however, was contingent on the completion of a sweep by the fire department.

As of Saturday morning, the high-rise building was cordoned off with police tape, and personnel from both the police and fire departments remained on site. The head of the Central Jakarta Metro Police's Criminal Investigation Unit, Adj. Sr. Comr. Roby Heri Saputra, confirmed that the Puslabfor team had arrived Friday night but could not immediately enter the building for safety reasons.

"The police's Labfor team has arrived, but they couldn't enter yet because the sweep team from the fire department is still conducting their operation," Roby stated at the Bapenda building. He assured that a thorough investigation to pinpoint the fire's origin would commence once the area was declared safe and sterile by the authorities.

While awaiting the forensic investigation, the police have begun interviewing ten witnesses. Among them is an employee who was trapped on the 15th floor when the fire broke out. The police confirmed the worker is in stable condition and receiving intensive care at the hospital. Initial suspicions point to the fire originating from the 11th floor, which was reportedly undergoing renovations, according to Central Jakarta Police Chief. Comr. Reynold Elisa Partomuan Hutagalung.